A restaurant was so filthy health bosses said it reminded them of a farmyard.

Brighton and Hove City Council inspectors revealed how grime and cigarette ends were found on work surfaces at Riz Raz in Hove - despite two previous warnings.

The Eqyptian eaterie, in Western Road, which had cobwebs and grease hanging from the cooker hood, did not even have hot water for workers to wash their hands.

Yesterday owner Alaa Asfour, 56, was ordered to pay £5,650 in fines and costs after admitting 17 breaches of food hygiene regulations.

He was prosecuted by Brighton and Hove City Council after failing to make improvements following two previous visits to the restaurant.

Len Batten, prosecuting, said that Egyptian shisha pipes and tobacco were found in the basement storage areas.

Joanne Burchell-Collins, of the council's food safety team called in her boss after visiting Riz Raz on December 16.

She had gone there to investigate a complaint from a member of the public about cleanliness at the restaurant.

Nicholas Wilmot, one of the council's environmental health manager, said he found floors blackened with dirt and grease on walls and pipes.

The cooker was filthy and the only hot water available was simmering in a pan on top of it.

Mr Wilmot said: “I advised Mr Asfour that conditions in the cooking area were so filthy that it reminded me of a farmyard.”

Asfour, of Rothbury Road, Hove, said he opened Riz Raz as a shisha and drinks bar three years ago.

He said: “A year later the smoking ban came in and nobody could smoke inside the premises.

“My trade dropped by 80% so I had to do something else by serving food because I was struggling to survive.

“My son got cancer and I trusted a friend to run the place for me while I spent time with him.

“I know the place was filthy and I accept responsibility for that and have pleaded guilty.”

He added that water flooding from flats above had got into the restaurant's electrical wiring and had lifted floor tiles.

Asfour, who told the court he is £120,000 in debt, is now trying to sell the restaurant.

He put the lease up for sale a year ago but has been forced to drop the price to just £50,000 because of the economic crisis.

He added: “My son is my priority but I am continuing to try to make the improvements the council wants.”